This invention is generally concerned with apparatus for processing workpieces and more particularly with apparatus for automatically processing irregularly-shaped workpieces, such as letters, parcels and the like.
A significant proportion of the approximately onehalf billion irregularly-shaped letters, flats, parcels, and other irregularly-shaped mailpieces, such as hotel keys, bagged film and the like, which are annually received by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for processing, must be manually processed due to the unavailability of automated equipment. Although such mailpieces may in most instances be automatically separated from the main stream of incoming mail, there has been a long felt need for reliable machinery for handling other processing tasks. In this connection, it is noted that manual processing is heavily relied upon for performing such functions as cancelling the postage of such mailpieces, sorting them in accordance with destination addresses or zip codes, and marking them with appropriate destination bar codes for subsequent sorting. In general, the inspection, sorting and marking functions implemented in the course of processing such mailpieces rank amongst the highest labor intensive activities engaged in by Postal Services on a worldwide basis.
Of course, large private mailers and shippers of irregularly-shaped mailpieces and parcels are similarly burdened with such labor intensive processing activities, including applying addresses and postage to mailpieces and parcels of different sizes and shapes, for delivery to the USPS and private carriers.
Accordingly:
An object of the invention is to provide apparatus for processing an irregularly-shaped workpiece; and
Another object is to provide apparatus for automatically processing irregularly-shaped workpieces for inspection, sorting and marking purposes.